Race Relations in South Africa

Location:
Johannesburg, Durban, Grahamstown, and Cape Town, South Africa

Sponsor:
Michigan State University

Program:
South Africa, like the United States, is a country with a complex and tumultuous history of race relations. This program will examine both the history and contemporary landscape of such a relationship in South Africa, as well as comparing and contrasting it with that of the United States' experience. Students in this program will be able to get an in-depth knowledge of South African history and current social issues through scholarly texts and participation in community-based service learning projects.

Participants will:

  • Understand several key points of similarities and differences in historical and contemporary race relations in the U.S. and South Africa
  • Learn how race, class, and gender intersect in contemporary South African society
  • Experience South African faculty, students, and multiracial community organizations working on issues of social justice
  • Be immersed in a multilingual society and learn how language affects race relations
  • Witness firsthand through service learning how several critical issues in contemporary South Africa, i.e. race/poverty/urban decay and renewal/AIDS crisis, intersect with social and economic development and access to resources for social change

Housing will be provided through a combination of hotels, retreat centers, and camps.

Course Offerings:
The strength of a comparative program is one in which a community of scholars come together looking at both similarities and differences of a society. This program will have the advantage of courses co-taught by U.S. and South African professors. South African professors will guide our movement through the institutions we will visit and arrange the service learning work in which we will engage. Students will be required to enroll in a minimum of six semester credits from the following courses: Race Relations in South Africa: A Comparative Look (3 cr.); Special Topics - Practicum (3-4 cr.); Area Studies and Multicultural Civilization (4 cr.)

For additional information regarding eligibility, application deadlines, cost, and further program components, contact the Michigan State University Office of Study Abroad at studyabroad@osa.msu.edu.

Contact Information:
Jeanne Gazel
Urban Affairs Programs
105 W. Owen Graduate Center
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
Phone: 517-432-5266
E-mail: gazeljea@msu.edu
http://www.studyabroad.msu.edu/programs/safricaracerel.html